Improvement in paddle-wheels



. C. FLETCHER.

Paddle-Wheels.

N0. 145,857,v Patenteclec.23,1873.4

WITNESSES. WVENTOR, m- @W J2/ww www@ 4/ .MJU

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ADDISON C. FLETCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PADDLE-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,857, dated December 23, 1873 application filed July 12, 1873.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDrsoN C. FLETCHER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in the Buckets of Paddle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification With the buckets heretofore used there is much loss of power, as also of propelling eifect, the first owing to the angle at which they enter and emerge from the water, causing, respectively, a depression and lift of that element; and, secondly, from the loss of hold upon the water when submerged, in a vertical position, by flow over the upper edge of the bucket.

The object of my invention is to remedy, at least in a great measure, these defects 5 and it consists in constructing the buckets so that their cross-sections shall correspond, or nearly so, with the outline of a parabola, which form I believe will accomplish the best results; but I do not limit myself to this particular form, as an obtuse angle, instead of that peculiar curve, might have nearly the same effect.

The drawing accompanying this specification represents a side elevation of a paddlewheel, in which- A represents its axis, supported in suitable bearings B. On this axis are secured the arms C, to which the buckets D are attached, these buckets being substantially parabolic in form, the straight or iiat portion a of which is secured to the arms C at an angle of about SOO (eighty degrees) from their radial line. This causes them to enterthe water at both upper and lower edges nearly"simultaneously, and tends, in a measure, to buoy the vessel up by the peculiar form of the bucket; and when the vessel is in motion no water can be lost over the upper edge of said buckets, which, being arranged as above described, relatively to the radial arms of the wheel,'are caused to act continuously upon the water in a direct manA curved portion of the bucket also acts in a propelling direction until its lower edge is nearly, or quite, out of the water, which tends p also to prevent the lifting of water as the bucket emerges therefrom, thus obtaining all the advantages of the spoon-shaped paddle, and avoiding its disadvantages by shedding before leaving the water.

The buckets of this wheel may be made of iron, wood, or any other suitable or available material, wood, however, being` preferred.

In constructing a wheel on this principle for ferry boats, or what are commonly called double-enders, two buckets of similar shape and construction may be attached to each arm, and facing in opposite directions, as represented at c in dotted lines on the drawing; one series, however, should be attached at a point slightly nearer the axis than the other series, to prevent the carrying of dead water between them.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The paddle-bucket herein described, of para bolic or angular form, when connected to the arms or spokes of the wheel, with its upper edge arranged in advance of its lower edge, substantially as shown and described.

ADDISON O. FLETCHER, M. D.

Witnesses FRANK W. KITCHING, J. B. REYNOLDS. 

